Tuesday, 13 November 2018

5 Things You Can Do To Help A Friend Stop Drinking

Do you have a friend who is suffering from alcoholism? Watching them struggle with an alcohol use disorder can be depressing. The last thing you would want is to see your friend’s life getting destroyed by the alcohol. However, getting your friend to sober up and quit drinking is not an easy task. This is because most alcoholics tend to become emotionally attached to the alcohol and this leads to dependency. Here are 5 things you can do to help a friend stop drinking.

1. Get Informed On How To Stop Drinking

Before you do anything, the first step is to learn about alcoholism and how one can recover from it. Find out if your friend has an alcohol addiction or they just drink from time to time. Read about alcoholism, the stages and the symptoms.

Attend alcohol addiction support groups in your area and get important tips on how you can help your friend recover from alcoholism and maintain sobriety.

2. Open Communication

Open communication is very important. In order to help your friend stop drinking, you will need to voice your concerns. Sometimes the conversations can get uncomfortable for both of you, but the aim of the discussions is to get to the root cause of the drinking problem. Let your friend know that they can trust you and that they have your respect and support on their way to recovery.

3. Pick The Right Place And Time

Always plan ahead and pick the right time and place to have the conversation. Ideally, you should have the discussion when your friend is free and relaxed and not preoccupied with work or other personal issues.

You will also need to go to a quiet and private place where you can talk without interruptions. Avoid going to a bar as the environment could lead them to desire a drink. Ensure that both of you are sober and you have each other’s attention in order to address the issue at hand.

4. Avoid Passing Judgment

An alcohol problem is a sensitive topic to discuss. Your friend will appreciate you more if you do not pass judgment or shame. Put yourself in their shoes. Alcoholism is a disease and by shaming an alcoholic, you will only lower their self-esteem.

Don’t be judgmental. Avoid offering ultimatums. Remember, if your friend feels like you are attacking or ganging up on him, they will get frustrated and stressed and this can make their drinking problem worse.

5. Be A Resourceful Friend

One of the best things you can do for your friend is to encourage them to seek treatment. Alcoholism is not easy to treat but there is always a starting point. Direct your friend to a treatment program, an addiction therapy or a professional who will help them pursue recovery.

There are several online resources you can use to get started. Be prepared for any negative reaction. Your friend might be in denial and any attempt to intervene in their situation might be faced with some resistance. Don’t take it personally; instead be empathetic and even offer to take them for the meetings.

Conclusion

There you have it. 5 things you can do to help your friend stop drinking. Worried about your friend's drinking problem? At stopdrinkingexpert.com, you will find an excellent stopping drinking program that will help your friend stay sober and love life again.